Changes in store for US Open of Surfing after last year's riots

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 4 April, 2014 - Huntington Beach officials were pleasantly surprised today in a meeting with U.S. Open of Surfing promoters that everyone agrees this summer's event must be scaled back to avoid a repeat of last year's rioting.

City officials met with promoters today to hear their plans for this summer's U.S. Open of Surfing, Huntington Beach police Capt. Russell Reinhart said.

"We're going to have the event, we're not canceling, but we don't want what happened last year to happen again," Reinhart said. "The event's going to be smaller."

Other changes include no alcohol sponsorships and no live bands with more of a focus on the surfing competition, Reinhart said. "The bands were drawing (thousands) for a free concert on the beach and the problems were coming out of that."